Too Little Too Late
by Caz Malfoy
Summary: Too little too late just wasn't good enough anymore...


_Disclaimer: _I don't own CSI:Miami or NY. The lyrics used belong to Meat Loaf and no copyright infringement is intended.

Too Little Too Late

Silence followed the statement and he found the air suddenly heavier than it had been previously.

Horatio took several steps forward and reached out to put his hand on the other's arm. "Tim, I…"

The simple touch seemed to snap Tim out of his daze and he jumped as though an electrical current had passed through his body. "No," he spat, getting to his feet to face the redhead. "Don't say it! I don't wanna hear it!"

"But I…"

"Dammit, Horatio! I said I don't wanna hear what you have to say." Horatio lowered his blue eyes guiltily. "That's right, play the poor puppy routine. That isn't going to work this time," Tim snarled.

"If you would just listen," the Lieutenant whispered. "I…"

"Why should I? Tell me! Give me one good reason why I should listen to what you have to say!" Tim demanded, cutting him off mid-sentence.

When Horatio remained silent, he snorted with sarcastic laughter. "I didn't think so. You can't give me one because you don't have a reason, do you? You only have some stupid feeling in your gut that's telling you that this is right in some bizarre universe."

Tim's eyes darkened with hate as he spoke and paced the room. "Tell me, H," he mocked. "Did you suddenly decide you didn't want to be with me? I've got a news flash for you, people don't just wake up one morning and decide they don't love each other."

"Tim, it's not that… I… I just think we're better off apart."

"What are you planning on doing know? Go to Yelina and hope she suddenly sees sense and decides she wants you? That's never going to happen, Horatio! You'll always be her dead husband's big brother."

He took a deep breath and grabbed his coat, stalking across the room and pausing at the door. "You'll miss me one day," he whispered, fighting back tears of anger and sadness. He refused to show Horatio his tears; refused to give him the satisfaction.

"You'll wake up in the middle of the night, roll over and wish I was there with you. You'll change your mind, Horatio Caine. Mark my words, you'll regret this."

x

Two years later

Horatio stepped off the plane with Mac Taylor right behind him. The early evening sun was low in the sky, which struck him as strange for the time of year. Suddenly his memories of the past, of his father and mother hit him like a freight train going at full speed.

With a sigh he slipped on his dark sunglasses, hiding his blue eyes and therefore his emotions from the world.

Mac glanced at him questioningly but he shrugged this off, they had a job to do and a serial killer to catch. Feelings couldn't cloud his judgement and affect his performance.

"Horatio!" Mac called, jogging down the corridor towards the other man. "We're going out for a drink at Sullivan's, you should come."

The Miami Lieutenant hesitated. "I don't … I should be heading back to the hotel. It's been a long couple of days…"

"Come on," Mac insisted, placing a hand on the other man's arm. "One drink. We deserve it after catching Darius."

They locked eyes for a long moment before Horatio relented and they were on their way to Sullivan's where the team was waiting for them.

x

"You cheated!" Stella exclaimed, pointing across the table and glaring at Don.

Don's eyes widened and his mouth fell open. "I did not!" he responded indignantly.

"You so did! That ball was nowhere near that pocket!"

Danny rolled his eyes and leant closer to the Greek. "Stel, you're on the same team," he whispered.

Stella pouted and looked over at Don. "Really?" The black haired man nodded. "Oh… Stop it!" she snapped at her two colleagues when they started laughing.

"How much have you had to drink?" Danny asked, stilling chuckling to himself.

"Apparently not enough if I can still play pool," Stella mused, looking at the cue in her hand.

"I can rectify that," a new voice called as someone approached them with a large pitcher of beer.

"My hero," Stella giggled, kissing Tim on the cheek. She grabbed the pitcher and moved to pour herself a drink, barely spilling a drop.

"They didn't cheat, did they?" Tim whispered in Danny's ear, sliding an arm around his waist and drinking his beer.

Danny leant back against Tim and nodded toward Don. "According to Stel, Flack cheated."

Don glared at his friends. "How many times do I have to you tell you? I didn't cheat. I didn't!"

"It seems to me that you're denying things too much," Tim commented smirking. "Anything else you want to deny?" He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, seconds before he had to duck when Don picked up a beer mat and tossed it towards him like a Frisbee.

They all watched as the small piece of cardboard flew through the air and landed in the centre of Mac's chest as he came through the door.

"Sorry, Mac," Don muttered, lowering his eyes bashfully.

Next to him, Danny heard a sharp intake of breath from Tim as Mac revealed who was following him.

"Horatio," Tim whispered, seconds before Horatio's eyes landed on him.

The tension in the bar increased tenfold in the second it took Horatio to take in Tim with his arm around Danny before he turned and left the bar.

"Excuse me," Tim muttered, releasing Danny and brushing past Mac.

x

"What are you doing here?" Tim demanded, once the door had closed and he and Horatio were alone on the street.

"Mac invited me for a drink," Horatio sighed, running a hand through his red hair.

"Oh, well I suppose that makes it all better. Lets go back and drink like we're all friends and no one stabbed each other in the back."

Horatio took a step closer to the other man but stopped when Tim moved back. "I know I hurt you."

"You didn't hurt me, Horatio," Tim almost whispered. "You almost destroyed me. I told you everything. You know what happened…" he took a deep breath. "You know what happened in the past and how hard it was for me to admit that to people. Yet you sat there and listened, making it all feel better for a moment. Then suddenly you woke up and decided you didn't need me any more."

"I know. When you left, I realised how stupid I was to say those things to you. I should never have let you walk out that door."

Tim laughed and shook his head. Once again he found himself fighting back tears, only this time they were of frustration rather than sadness. "Didn't I tell you, you'd be sorry one day? You had your chance, Horatio. Did you not see that man in there?"

He pointed back to the now closed door. "It took me sixteen months to trust him enough to let myself get close to him; to trust that he wouldn't betray me like you did. You're not the person I thought you were; that was suddenly loud and clear to me. I've moved on, Horatio. I suggest you do the same."

He turned on his heel and stalked into the pub to return to the pool game with his boyfriend and friends.

As he walked, he pushed past Mac who was joining Horatio on the street and looking thoroughly confused. "You two know each other?" he questioned, pointing after Tim.

"We used to work together," Horatio whispered before he shook his head. "I'm sorry, Mac. I don't think I'm up to having a drink tonight. I'll grab a cab and head back to the hotel. Tell everyone I'm sorry."

No words were exchanged as the redhead put his hands in his pockets and slowly made his way down the street, his shoulders hunched and his head down. He had made his bed years ago, it was time he laid in it.

Should've listened when you said I'd miss you  
Should've listened but I could not hear  
You said I'd want you back  
I said not a chance  
Now I can see I was so blind

You're right, I was wrong  
To ever leave you  
I made a mistake  
I'm sorry now  
You're right, I was wrong  
To ever let you go  
Now I know, now I know  
You're right, I was wrong

Couldn't see it when I had you with me  
Couldn't see that I had everything  
And now I see it clear  
And now you're not here  
You said someday, I'd change my mind

You're right, I was wrong  
To ever leave you  
I made a mistake  
I'm sorry now  
You're right, I was wrong  
To ever let you go  
Now I know, now I know  
You're right, I was wrong

If I could have one more chance to hold you  
I would keep you here in my arms  
And never let you go  
Because now I know

You're right, I was wrong  
To ever leave you  
I made a mistake  
I'm sorry now  
You're right, I was wrong  
To ever let you go  
Now I know, baby now I know  
You're right, I was wrong  
- You're right, I was wrong – Meat Loaf


End file.
